In a heart-wrenching revelation that has sparked public outcry, a young man identified as Oghenekewve Ovie Wanogo has been found after seven long years of being lost, wandering alone since the tender age of nine.
Now approximately sixteen years old, Wanogo has reportedly been surviving on his own, navigating life without the care or guidance of family or authorities.
According to a plea circulating on social media, Wanogo went missing in Sapele at the age of nine and has been left to cater for himself ever since.
The details surrounding how he got lost remain unclear, but what is certain is that for nearly a decade, a child slipped through every possible safety net, family, community, and government, without any significant intervention.
“This boy is tired and needs to find his way home,” the message reads, appealing for mass sharing and retweets in the hope that someone, somewhere, might recognize him and reconnect him with his family, whether parents or extended relatives.
The public has been urged to call 09155570008 with any information or to visit GRA Police Station in Asaba, where Wanogo is currently seeking help.
A Disturbing Pattern
This case has ignited criticism toward the systemic neglect that allows vulnerable children to vanish without trace or follow-up.
Child welfare advocates argue that Wanogo’s plight is not an isolated incident but part of a broader, troubling pattern of missing children in Nigeria whose disappearances are never adequately investigated or resolved.
“How does a nine-year-old go missing and survive for seven years without intervention?” questioned Ruth Egbe, a child rights advocate. “We have to do better as a society. This is a failure on all levels—family, community, and government.”
A Call for Accountability
The public’s emotional response has been swift, with many demanding an inquiry into how the child welfare system failed Wanogo.
Questions abound: Was a missing person report ever filed? Did law enforcement actively search for him? What role did community leaders or local government play—if any?
For now, Wanogo remains in Asaba, clinging to the hope that someone will recognize him and bring him back to a family he hasn’t seen in nearly a decade.
His story is a stark reminder of the silent struggles many children endure in Nigeria, and a call to action to ensure no child ever has to be lost in plain sight again.
Anyone with information about Wanogo’s family is urged to contact the provided phone number or visit the GRA Police Station in Asaba immediately.
#FindWanogo #ChildProtectionNow #NigeriaMissingChildren
